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Friday, September 30, 2016

NEW DELHI: Taking the offensive right into the heart of Pakistan, India on Monday reviewed the Indus Water Treaty+ to explore possible ways to use its share of water of rivers flowing into Pakistan.

"Blood and water cannot flow simultaneously+" Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday as he chaired a review meeting of 56-year-old Indus Water Treaty during which it was decided that India will "exploit to the maximum" the water of Pakistan-controlled rivers, including Jhelum, as per the water-sharing pact. The review meeting on the Indus Water Treaty came as India weighed its options to hit back at Pakistan+ in the aftermath of the Uri attack+ that left 18 soldiers dead, triggering demands that the government scrap the water distribution pact to mount pressure on that country.

Here are the three important ways New Delhi plans to use provisions in the Indus Water Treaty to turn the heat on Islamabad:

1. Meetings of 'Permanent Indus Commission' suspended

Official sources said the Indus commissioners will meet only in the absence of terrorism. These commissioners meet about twice a year and have met every year since the treaty was signed, even during the 1965, 1971 and Kargil wars.

Implication

Pakistan at a dead end. Here's how:

* Treaty provides for three-stage grievance redress. Disputes first raised at meetings (two a year). If unresolved, dispute is referred to neutral expert World Bank appoints. If that too fails, sides can apply for arbitration by the UN's court of arbitration

* If the first stage of dispute redressal is suspended, the other two steps cannot kick in. This leads to a dead end for Pakistan

2. Restart Tulbul project

India unilaterally suspended the Tulbul project (Islamabad calls it Wullar Barrage) in 1987 after Pakistan objected. The project was part of the composite dialogue, but the dialogue itself was junked in its earlier form by the Manmohan Singh government. The decision to review the suspension signalled the Modi government's intent to revive it irrespective of Pakistan's protests.

* With a barrage, India controls release of water into Jhelum, which could trigger a flood or drought in POK and Pakistan. Serious implications for agriculture in Pakistan

What reviving the Tulbul Project means

* The Tulbul project is a "navigation lock-cum-control structure" at the mouth of the lake, located on the Jhelum river

* It is a key intra-state channel to ferry state's goods & people. To sustain navigation through the year a minimum depth of water in the lake is necessary

* The idea to ensure year-round navigation along the 20-km stretch from Anantnag to Srinagar and Baramulla, and on the 22 km-stretch between Sopore and Baramulla that becomes non-navigable in winter with water depth of only 2.5 ft

* The project envisages water release from lake to maintain minimum draught of 4.5 feet in Jhelum

* India had started constructing a 439 feet long barrage at the lake's mouth

* Pakistan objected and construction was halted in 1987

3. An inter-ministerial task force

The government set up an inter-ministerial task force to look at India's usage of the waters from the western rivers. According to the treaty, India has unrestricted use of the eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej), but only 20% use of the western rivers. However, India is allowed water from these rivers for "domestic and non-consumptive use, hydropower and agriculture, subject to certain limits".

Implication

India grossly under-utilises its entitlement under the 1960-treaty where it can use all the waters of the Jhelum, Chenab and Indus

Thursday, September 29, 2016

New Delhi: Director General Military Operations (DGMO), Ranbir Singh salutes after a Press Conferences along with External Affairs Spokesperson Vikas Swarup, in New Delhi on Thursday. India conducted Surgical strikes across the Line of Control in Kashmir on Wednesday night. (Source: PTI)

As DGMO Lt Gen Ranbir Singh announced Indian Army’s surgical cross-border strike in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir, where terrorist launchpads were targeted, Indian TV channels went over and above to reveal details of the operation, citing “top sources”. The official stance has been that the Army has eliminated threats along the Line of Control, where terrorists have positioned themselves to infiltrate across the border and carry out attacks in various metro cities. The DGMO announced that, during the counter terrorism operation, there were significant casualties on the other side. No official figures of the troops involved in the operation or how many terrorists were neutralised have been made public so far. This, however, lead to significant interpretation by the Indian media which reported contrasting facts and figures.

NDTV reported that the surgical strikes were carried out past midnight, when troops went 2 km deep into PoK. The arc of the operation was spread over 250 km, it claimed. Each terrorist launchpad reportedly had 30-40 terrorists, along with guides and other support elements. Sources told NDTV that the entire operation was a combination of ground forces and helicopter-borne para-commandos, and it was shot using a drone.

News18, on the other hand, claimed that there was no violation of Pakistan’s air space as troops were dropped off in a chopper on the Indian side of the LoC. It then went on to list down the terror groups targeted in the operation, which reportedly include Lashkar-e-Taiba, Hizbul Mujahideen and the Jaishe-e-Mohammed.

India Today was one of the few media outlets to put a number on the casualties. It claimed that 38 terrorists and Pakistani soldiers were killed by the Indian Army. Citing sources, it reported that para commandos were flown 2-3 km into PoK in Mi-17 choppers and they destroyed six terror camps.

Times Now, quoting sources, announced the highest battle figures among others. It reported that 35-40 to terrorists as well as nine Pakistani soldiers were killed in the surgical strikes.

Meanwhile, media outlets across the border have been reporting the official Pakistani stance. Rubbishing claims that India carried out strikes across the border, they took the line that two of its soldiers were killed in firing from the Indian side. It also claimed to have given a befitting reply to the ceasefire violation.

September 29, 2016 - 19:52 Delhi: Post surgical strikes carried out by Army on terror launch pads across the LoC, envoys of different nations (including P5) were briefed by the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday about India's position.

The announcement of the sudden action by the Army to prevent fresh terror attacks was made by the DGMO Lt Gen Ranbir Singh, 11 days after the strike by Pakistan-based terror outfit JeM on Army camp in Uri in Kashmir over which Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that the attackers would not go "unpunished" and that the sacrifice of 18 jawans would not go in vain.

"Based on very credible and specific information which we received yesterday that some terrorist teams had positioned themselves at launch pads along the Line of Control with an aim to carry out infiltration and terrorist strikes in Jammu & Kashmir and in various other metros in our country, the Indian army conducted surgical strikes last night at these launch pads," General Singh told a news conference during which MEA spokesman Vikas Swarup was also present. The announcement was made soon after PM Modi chaired a meeting of Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS).

Sharing details, General Singh said that the operations were basically focused "to ensure that the terrorists do not succeed in their design of infiltration and carrying out destruction and endangering the lives of citizens of our country."

"During these counter-terrorist operations, significant casualties have been caused to the terrorists and those who are trying to support them. The operations aimed at neutralizing the terrorists have since ceased. We do not have any plans for continuation of further operations. However the Indian armed forces are fully prepared for any contingency that may arise," he said, as per PTI.

The DGMO said he had spoken to the Pakistani Director General of Military Operations and explained India's concerns and also shared with him details of the operation.

"It is India's intention to maintain peace and tranquility in the region, but we can certainly not allow the terrorists to operate across the Line of Control with impunity and attack the citizens of our country. In line with Pakistan's commitment made in January 2004 not to allow its soil or territory under its control for any terrorist activities against India, we expect the Pakistani army to cooperate with us with a view to erase this menace of terrorism from our region."

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